Contents

"Established in 1916 as a part of the educational program of the YMCA of Greater New York, McBurney School commemorated in its name one of the pioneers in work with boys and young men during the latter years of the nineteenth century,[4] the first paid secretary of the YMCA of New York. For many years the School was a part of the education department of the West Side Branch, first on West 57th Street and then, in 1929, at 5 West 63rd Street where a separate portion of the larger building was prepared for the School. By 1935 the educational work of the City Association had increased to a point where a Schools Branch was justified. The direction of this Branch centered in McBurneys' 15 West 63rd Street building and provided for the operation of four, sometimes five, schools. This arrangement continued until, by 1957, increases in enrollment called for the accommodation of 450 boys. It was decided, therefore, to discontinue all of the departments except McBurney and the Evening High School and to prepare in 15 West 63rd street a proper setting for a college preparatory school. In September, 1958, the first part of the renovation was finished, and the building at 15 West 63rd Street was ready for McBurney use."[5]

Due to the construction of Lincoln Center only a block to the west, the value of the school property increased dramatically after 1965. In the mid-1980s the YMCA sold the property for residential development.[6][7] In spite of mergers and a move to 20 West End Avenue, The New York Times reported that McBurney shut its doors and auctioned off its contents on August 3, 1988.

"The closed school was the product of a merger between the 60-year-old McBurney School and the Baldwin School...The combined institution later merged with the Riverside and Carnegie Hill Schools, under a parent organization called the Baldwin League of Independent Schools... the organization paid $5.5 million for the four-story building on West End Avenue at 60th Street, spent $3.8 million on remodeling and moved in two years ago...the decision to close was made last week... the school's location - in a neighborhood of automobile dealers, parking lots and taxicab repair shops - had turned out to be a 'detriment.' In the library yesterday, bidders flipped through old yearbooks, hunting pictures of such well-known McBurney alumni as Felix Rohatyn, the chairman of the Municipal Assistance Corporation, and Henry Winkler, the actor known as The Fonz. Mr. Giannone found the yearbook showing a member of the class of 1956 whose nickname was Dumbo. The name was listed as Ted Koppel, now of ABC News."

Andrew Thomas Carr Stifler (1982–1982): Andrew Stifler, Headmaster at the McBurney School and former college counselor at the Dalton School; he now is director of development at Hill School (K-8), Middleburg, Virginia

Anthony F. Capraro III, Ph.D.(Yale PhD) is now President of Teach in Purchase NY and Chair/Founder of collegeoutreachusa.org, a non profit corp to help,students who are minority, from an inner-ciy, or from low income families, attend college.

In a 1992 episode of the NBC television series Seinfeld, entitled The Pez Dispenser, the McBurney School was the site of the piano recital given by George Costanza's girlfriend Noel, a concert pianist, which was ruined when Jerry placed a Pez dispenser on Elaine's purse, causing her to laugh uncontrollably. The school is also briefly mentioned in the book The Catcher in the Rye. The author, J.D. Salinger, had gone to this school.

Carlos de Wendler-Funaro, PhD (Columbia 1958) (Oct 12, 1898–Feb. 15, 1985): Before becoming an entomologist but taught foreign language at McBurney; he donated most of his insect collections to the American Museum of Natural History

Francis H. Ingoldsby (died Apr 20, 2004 at age 98): A linguist, but served in nearly every capacity over 39 years at McBurney — teacher, adviser, coach, college guidance counselor, associate headmaster and headmaster

Alfred Carl Mohr (Mar 2, 1904–Jul 22, 2002): Dean of McBurney’s Modern Language Department; also had been a member of the Department of Germanic Languages & Literature at Yale (Bachelors from Yale 1926, Masters from Columbia 1932)

Peter McCaffery: Teacher and Coach and co-author of the new McBurney Charter. After leaving McBurney, he served for many years as Director of Student Services at Boston Arts Academy and was the recipient of an educator of the year award from the Boston Public Schools in 2010.[9]

Thomas Gerald Monaco, PhD (Dayton 2003) (at McBurney 13 years): Coached football, wrestling & baseball, taught history and handled AD duties (now Upper Division Director at Summit County Day School, Cincinnati). He left McBurney as Head Football Coach after the 1980 season. Assistant coaches Rick Starace and Joe Puggelli became Co-Head Football Coaches. Football was started in 1964 by Head Coach, Tony Capraro, who became Headmaster after returning to Yale in 1966 for graduate work and as Head of the Scholar/Athlete admission program.

Joe Puggelli: English Department Chairman & Football Coach 80s (now living in Seattle). Joe was co-head coach with Rick Starace in 1981. Puggelli coached defense, Starace did offence, and both handled special teams. Puggelli was also editor of “Entertainment New York Magazine.”